What to do if you are Involved in a car accident?
- Stop! Do not drive away from an accident.
- Move out of harm’s way, and, if possible, move your vehicle away from oncoming traffic to prevent further accidents or injury.
- Call the police (and an ambulance if necessary).
- Take pictures of all vehicle damage, physical injuries, and any evidence of weather and road conditions.
- Exchange information with the other parties involved, including, but not limited to: names, contact information, insurance information, license plate numbers, vehicle information and registration numbers, and driver license numbers.
- If you sustain any bodily injuries, seek medical attention within 14 days. A doctor might recognize injuries that are not immediately apparent to those involved in the accident.
- It is always best to first seek medical attention to know the extent of your injuries. Then, seek out legal help from the experienced Personal Injury team at Mubarak Law.
A Note of Caution
Car accidents unfortunately happen. In Orlando, with all I-4 construction, and bad weather in the summer we see an increase in car accidents. A lot of times people don't want to wait for the police and don't want to make a police report. Instead, they exchange numbers because they think the other person looks nice and the other person accepts responsibility for the accident. So, they go home, call the insurance company and next thing they know is that the version of events given to the insurance by the other person is completely different than what it really happened, and suddenly they are being seen now as the liable party. Our advice to those involved in a car accident is to be patient and make the time to make a police report so you don't want to deal with contesting liabilities or issues that are not true just because you didn't wait for a proper police report, which sometimes can take several hours.
Another critical step you need to take is after a car accident is to seek medical treatment within 14 days, or you will lose any rights for compensation.
Another issue about car accidents in Florida is that Florida law does not require drivers to have bodily injury protection, which means that if you're in an accident and the other driver does not have bodily injury and you have excessive injuries you are not going to be covered unless you have what is called uninsured motorist insurance. For this reason, we strongly advice everybody to contact your insurance providers to let them know that you need uninsured motorist insurance. Your monthly payment may increase $20 or $30 but you would not rely on other people having proper insurance to properly covered in case of an accident.
Contact Our Orlando Car Accident Lawyer
Given the complications that follow accidents and severe damages, it is essential to find skilled legal representation after experiencing personal injury in a car accident. At Mubarak Law, our Orlando attorneys have extensive experience in helping clients navigate the aftermath of car accidents and bodily injuries, and our priority is to offer specialized legal representation and guidance throughout the course of your personal injury case.
